NAIROBI Kenya—The High Court has ruled that Makini School violated the dignity and mental well-being of two minors by expelling them in connection with a dispute involving their parent, awarding them Sh600,000 in damages.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi found that the school acted unfairly when it removed the children from class on July 7, 2023, and handed them termination letters.
Headteacher Catherine Njuguna reportedly directed the children to wait for their parents at the pickup area, an act the court deemed humiliating and detrimental to their emotional welfare.
The minors, through their mother, challenged the expulsion in court, arguing that it was unjustified.
Their lawyer, Advocate Apollo Mboya, told the court that the students were high achievers with no history of disciplinary infractions.
He described the expulsion as “precipitate, hasty, petty, malicious, capricious, draconian, and discriminatory.”
Mboya further argued that the school’s actions amounted to cruel and degrading treatment, causing severe emotional distress to the children and their family.
In his ruling, Justice Mugambi emphasized that schools have a responsibility to uphold students’ rights and protect their well-being.
The court found that the manner in which the expulsion was carried out was not only abrupt but also unnecessarily punitive, warranting compensation.
